Hydrocarbon-burner.



A. A. BALL, Ja. HYDROOARBON BURNER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.24,1902. 901,41 5. Patented 001;. 20, 1908.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H n e-$5,3

7i" KL witnesses:

Inventor,

M B flugustusflfialliin (4 Q 4, i f flw/o iz f A. A. BALL, Jn.HYDBOOABBON BURNER.

nruouxou rum) us. 24, 1902.

02 %m du 4 8 mm d5 \|\\\l||| I m 7 H m a a Til! P v m am m abl H i 2 5 1O 4 a 1 w 1 Inventor, flu gustus 18m I Jr".

Witnesses:

A. A. BALL, JE- HYDBOOABBOH BURNER. APPLIOATIOI FILED Ill. 24. 1902.

Patented Oct. 20, 1908.

EBHBBTB-BHBET 3.

VQNCOI ABah Jr.

fitty.

I fiugustus Witnesses:

A. A. BALL, h. HYDBOOABBON BURNER.

APPLIUATIOH FILED JAN. 94, 1902.

90 1 ,41 5 Patented Oct. 20, 1908. F? g 6 6 SHEETS-BREE? 4.

Witnesses: inventor,

flugustusa fiml Jr.

"1 main: rxn n: cu., wmnmanm, n. c

A. A. BALL, JR. HYDBOOABBON BURNER.

APPLICATION FILED JAE. 24, 1902.

901,41 5. Patented 001;. 20, 1908.

F'i 7. a sums-5mm s Witnesses: 42 4| Inventor,

W By

AVAiLAbLt: L es.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFIC AUGUSTUS A. BALL, Jlt, OF LYNN,lt'IASSAUIIUSEITS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNM.

TO GENERAL ELECTRIC UOMIAN Y, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

HYDROCARBON-BURNER.

Patented Oct. 20, 1908.

Application filed January 24, 1902. Serial No. 91,014.

To all 'UfIl-Oflt it may concern:

lie it known that I, Auuusrus A. BALL. J12. a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Lynn. in the county of Essex, State ofAlassacliusctts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inI-Iydrocarbon- Burners. of which the following is a speciiication.

The present. invention relates to burners to utilizing hydro-carbonvapor for fuel, and more especially for those in use on self-pro pelledvehicles.

The object. of the invention is to improve the construction ofhydro-mirbon burners, whereby their action may be rendered more certainand satisfactory.

The scope of the invention will be more ully set forth in thedescription and in the .lailns appended thereto.

In the accompanying drawings which llustrate an embodiment of myinvention, Figure l is a side elevation of a vehicle with a. portion ofthe side broken away to show the boiler and burner; Fig. 2 is a partial'3 vertical section of the burner; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the burnerwith certain of the parts broken away; Fig. 4 is a detail sectional viewillustrating one of the air carryinq' passages and fuel openings; Fig. 5is an en urged detail view showing the injection tubes for the burner;Fig. 6 is a plan view of the vaporizer showinq its relation with respectto the burner; Pig. 7 is a vertical section of the valve for controllingthe ad- 115 mission of fuel to the. injection tubes; Fig.

8 is a horizontal section taken on line 88 of Fig. I. and looking in thedirection of the arrow; Fig. 9 is a detail vertical section taken online 9 S) of Fig. 7, looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 10 is aperspective view of a holder tin" an injection tube; and Fig. 11 is adiagrammatic view of the thermostat employed to actuate the fuel valve.

Referring to Fig. 1, 1 represents a vehicle body of any suitableconstruction, having driving wheels 2, and steerii'ig wheels 3, thelatter being moved by the lever 4. Motion is imparted to the drivingwheels by the to engine a). through differential gearing, in

any suitable manner. The boiler 6 is inelosed by the sides of thevehicle body. and situated below the boiler and preferably concentric.therewith, is one of my improved burners.

In describing my invention particular reference will be made to itsadaptability for vehicle work, but it is to be understood that the,burner may be utilized for other classes of work without departing fromthe spirit of my invention.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 2 to 4. the construction of theburner will be dc. scribed. The burner comprises top and bottom circularplates. 7 and 8, which plates are provided at the periphery with flangest) that extend in opposite directions, and engaging therewith is avertically extending strip of metal 10, which is secured in place byturning or bending its edges over the flanges or in any suitable manner.The plates 7 an 8. together with the vertically extcnon. piece or side.wall 10, form a chamber for receiving hydrocarbon vapor from theinjector tubes. Extending vertically through the top and bottom plates,is a plurality of aircarrying tubes. These tubes are riveted over at theends. as is clearly illustratwl in Fig. 4. and thus serve to hold theplates in fixed rclation, besides furnishing the necessary amount. ofair to cause proper combustion. Surrounding each of the air carryingtubes is a plurality of fuel openings 12, formed in the to plate 7, andit is through these holes that. t to fuel from the chamber 13 passes.

The burner is divided into sections, the inner or central section beingin operation at all times when the system is in operation, and is sodesigned that it will furnish suilicient heat. to keep up the necessarysteam pressure. when the vehicle is standing idle. It is preferablylocated directly under the center of the boiler, and since it is kept.in continuous operation. it in effect constitutes a pilot. burner. Byarranging the section as shown, all danger from ext'inguishn'ient. dueto gusts of wind, is prevent losses due to radiation are dec minimum.Surrounding the ect of the burner. and preferably therewith, is a secondor intermet 14; this sect-ion is intended to t tion when the demand forstem Surrounding the intermediate concentric therewith, is an outerwhich comes into service only mand on the boiler for steam i itsmaximum. In other wor vided a b ich is divid i i i i irnished thereby isprogressively ined in a step-by-step manner when the nd on the boilerfor steam is increased,

' .-versa. The central section is sepaom the intermediate section by artition 16, which is substantially hexagonal in shape, the two wallsextending parallel with t 1e central injection tubes, be- H, however,somewhat onger than the other sides. The pieces forming the partition 16may be secured in place in any desired manner; in the present instancethey are held in lace by rivets 17, which pass down throug i the top andbottom plates 7 and 8, and which are staggered so as to support thepartition on each side. The intermediate section is separated from theouter section by a partition 18, which is also hexagonal in shape, theside walls of which are parallel with those on the inner section. Thesections of the wall are retained in place by the rivets 19, which passthrough the top and bottom plates, and which are staggered so as tosupport the wall from both sides. I have found the distribution of theairearrying tubes 11, shown in F iq. 3, to be "oi-y satisfactory, inthat it permits of even, or substantiall even, spacing, more so thanwhen the partitions are cylindrical.

I have stated that the sections of the burner were concentricallyarranged; I do not mean by this that they are, or need to be,mathematically concentric, but in so far as it is possible one sectionshould be arranged to surround the other, and the second section shouldbe of considerable greater capacity than the inner section. In thepresent. instance, the central section is provided with twenty-eightair-carrying tubes with the surrounding burner openin s 12. Theintermediate section is provide with sevent air-carrying tubes and thesurrounding fue openings, and the outer section is provided withsixty-seven air-carrying tubes having surrounding fuel openings. Thesesections are entirely separated from each other, and the gases do notmingle until after they have passed through the. fuel openin s 12, intothe tire chamber adjacent to the boiler tubes.

Fuel is admitted to the central section movable injection tube 20, Fig.ightly tapered sides and a coli- The ob ect in making this, as therinjection tubes. removable 't of inspection and cleaning.

the injection tube 20, and fitted 'titions or Walls 16 and 18, is a ibe21. The outer end of this into a tubular projection 22, on 23. The outerends of this provided with holders 24, 'gned to receive the injectionAVAILABLE "c -c1.

these holders will be described. The end of the holder, which projectsinto the. burner, is cylindrical, while the outer end is provided withtwo parallel sides 27, which are united by a curved portion of the tube.The parallel side portions 27 are adapted to be riveted to the partition23 and thus assist in forming one of the sections of the burner. Theperiphery of each injection tube is slightly tapered. so as to make agood work in fit with the interior of the holder, the friction betweenthe parts being sufficient to retain the tubes in place. The holders arepreferably made of tubing and are formed by suitable dies.

The left hand ends of the partitions 1S and 23, Fi 5, are united by theZ shaped piece 28, \i hich serves to prevent the vapor admitted to theouter section or chamber 15 from mingling with the vapor in theintermediate section or chamber 1 1. The part1- tion 1b, which separatesthe intermediate from the outer section, terminates in a short section29 which extends to the circular surrounding wall 10. In mounting thesepartitions in place it is unnecessary to make especially fine jointsbetween the parts, since the escape of a slight amount of vapor fron onesection to the other does no harm; 1 will merely pass through the fuelopening. 12 of an adjacent section and thence to the combustion chamber,where it will be consinned.

The burner as a whole is inclosed within the extension of the boilercasing 30, and is sustained in place by the brackets 35. Surrounding theburner, but separated therefrom by a space, is a casing or shield 36.having a closed base and a side. wall, which casing is secured to theboiler or other support by clips 37. By this arrangement a space is leftbetween the side wall and the boiler casin so that the air entering theburner will e more or less warmed, and the liability of the llame beingblown out. by gusts of wind is reduced to a minimum.

In order to feed fuel to the sections of the burner in proper amountsand at proper times an automatic regulator is provided. which may beoperated in any suitable manner; I have found that satisfactory resultsmay be obtained with a thermostat. The regulator shown includes onenozzle for feeding fuel to the central injection tube 20, or one leadingto the central section of the burner. at all times when the system is inoperation. A second nozzle feeds fuel to the intermediate section and isin operation when the demand for steam is normal or thereabouts. A thirdnozzle feeds fuel to the outer section of the burner and is in operationonly when the demand for heat is rreater than that supplied by thecentra and intermediate sections.

Referring to Figs. 7 to 9 inclusive, 38

represents the main body of the regulator and is provided with a vaporadmitting opening 39. the latter being in communication with thevaporizer and fuel tank. The opening 3%) communicates with an L-shapedconduit 40. and from this conduit are three openings 41, l). and 43. Theopening ll is in connnunication at all times with the conduit. 40. andthe amount of vapor which can pass therefrom in-tothe central nozzle 44is governed by the manually-adjusted valve 45. When thesvstem is inproper adjustment suiiicient fuel should flow front the tank andvaporizer. through this nozzle into the central section of the burner,to furnish a blue. steady flame of sullicient intensity to maintain thesteam pressure on the boiler, aml also to resist any tendency of thewind to blow out the flame. Being so well protected there is. of course.little or no opportunity for the wind to act directly on the llame. Thesupply of fuel to the other nozzles 46 and 47 is under the control of anautomatically-actuated valve. This valve is provided with an elongatedstem 4h. which is provided with a conical shoulder on the lower end. anda reduced portion 4%). that acts as a piston valve. The conical shoulderis seated in a corresponding, den'ession or opening in the body of thereguator. The opening directly below the conical seat is somewhat largerthan the reduced portion 4%) of the valve stem. This is arranged so thatwhen the valve stem is slightly raised. vapor will pass from the conduit40 through the opening into the passage 42 leading to the nozzle td. thelatter supplying fuel to the intermediate burner section. When the end49 of the valve stem is raised still higher so that it. enters the.enlarged opening. free coimnunication is afforded between the conduit 40and the nozzle 47. the latter sup )lying fuel to the outer burnersection. Witli the valve stem in the raised position just described. theburner will be supplying its maximum amount of heatfor a given pressureon the fuel system. To put the matter in a different way. the regulatingvalve is provided with as many seats as there are outer burner sections.and the movement of the valve'successively cuts sections of the burnerinto and out of operation. The valve stem is suitably guided at thebottom. and is provided with a stulling box 50 to prevent the escape ofvapor at this point. The upper end of the stem is provided with anenlarged head 51. which. when the pressure on the dia- Jhragm 52 exceedsa certain amount. will ie forced downward until the valve seats itselfon the body portion of the regulator, as is shown in Fig. 7. Surroundingthe valve. stem is a screw threaded plug 53. which serves as a guide forthe stem. and also as an adjustable abutment for the coiled compressionspring 54. located between it and the enlarged head. The spring tendsatv all times to lift the valve stem and admit more fuel to the burner,while the thermostat is arranged to oppose. this action and close thefuel openings.

in order to regulate the discharge of fuel from the nozzles 4t) and 47manually-actuated valves In) and at) are provided. as is shown in Fig.8). It is intended that these valves shall be adjusted once for all.after which further considtu'ation is unnecessary.

The particular burner disclosed in the drawings is intended for use inconnection with kerosene. but any other suitable l'uel may be employed.In order that the liquid fuel received from the tank 51', Fig. 1. shallenter the burner in the form of vapor a suitable. vaporizer is usedwhich vaporizer is preferably of the character shown in Fig. t). It willbe seen that the configuration of the pipe conforms closely to thearrangement of the burner sections. extending centrally and lengthwiseover them. that is to say. the pipe or tube from the point .38 to pointis) is affected by the heat from the llames due to the burner openingsin the outer section. .\t. 59 the tube turns back and from this point topoint (it) the tube is affected by the heat due to the flames of theintermediate burner section, while the section of the tube from ()0 to($1 is affected by the heat of the llames from the inner burner section.Each portion of the vaporizer passes through the zone of maximumintensity of heat due to the burner section immediately adjacentthereto. and is heated directly by its flame. By this arrangement. thecapacity of the vaporizer to furnish vapor to the burner sections isprogressively increased in a step-by-step manner as the activity of theburner is also increased in a step-by-step manner. and by acorresponding amount. In other words. when one section only of theburner is in operation that portion of the tube between 0 and (i1 issullicient to furnish the necessary amount of vapor. \Vhen two sectionsof the burner. the center and interunaliate. are in operation. thevapm'izing tube between points til and fit) is suflicient to produce tienecessary vapor for maintaining them in operation. and when the. totalburner is in operation the vaporizing tube between (51 and :38 willfurnish the necessary amount of vapor. The vaporizing tube is sodcsignet that its heating effect will prot'luce the necessary vaporwithoutcausing the fuel therein to carbonize. or the temperature of theoil to be reduced below a certain point as it passes throughit. Theouter end of the vaporizing tube is connected by the pipe 62 with thefuel tank 57. a suitable valve being provided in this pipe whereby thesupply of fuel may be cut off. The opposite end ($3 of the vaporizertube is connected by a suitable coupling with the passage 3%) of therogue later.

In l ig. 11 the burner is shown in position below the boiler with theregulator 3b connected to the thermostat (S4. The thermostat comprises acoil of pipe filled with some such material as kerosene and is locatedat. the upper end of the boiler. As the temperature of the tire gaseswithin the boiler changes. the pressure within the thermostat variesaccordingly. 'lhe thermostat is not claimed herein but forms the subjectmatter of a separate application tiled by me June 2, L902, and bearingSerial Number 109,872.

A burner constructed in accordance with my invention is quick to start.is substantially smokeless and odorless in operation, and is noiselessand reliable under all conditions of running. whether the llanie belimited to one. two. or three sections of the burner. \\'hen the outputrequired from the burner is small, the automatic regulator cuts out. theouter and intermediate sections of the burner. and this withoutdecreasing the gas pressure within the burner body. This is an importantconsideration. for in those cases where the gas pressure in the burneris decreased the llame becomes unstable and is liable to be extinguishedby gusts of wind or pulsating action of the vaporizer; it also causesOl)j(.('ll()ntll)lt. odors. The present method of control also has theadvantage of permitting a constantair pressure to be maintained on theoil tank as distinguished from those systems wherein the pressure has tobe reduced when the burner is to be operated near its minimum range ofcapacity. Hince radiation and losses from those parts of the boiler nearthe center are largely absorbed by the outer portions. it is desirable.with the idea of obtaining high economy. to apply heat as nearly aspossible to the center of the boiler. and with the burner abovedescribed it will be seen that this advantage is obtained. 'lhe burnerpossesses the further advantage that on very light loads. or when thevehicle is standing. the central portion only is heated.thus giving amost economical condition of operation.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes. l havedescribed the principle of operation of my invention. together with theapparatus which I now consider to re|')resent the best embodimentthereof: but I desire to have it. understood that the apparatus shown isonly illustrative and that the invention can be carried out in otherways.

\Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States. is.-

1. In combination. a burner having a chamber divided into independentconcentric sections. a vaporizing conduit which extends over a pluralityof the sections and substantially along the median lines thereof toconvey fuel through the zone of maximum llame of one section afteranother to vaporize it. and means receiving vapor from said conduit andsupplying it to the burner sections.

2. In combination, a burner having a chamber wluch is divided into a.plurality of sections. a continuous vaporizing tube e.\'- tending overeach of the sections and substantially along the median lines thereof.means at the discharge end of the vaporizing tube which supplies fuel toone section, and means receiving fuel from said tube and supplying it tothe other sections in successive order.

3. ln combil'uition, a burner having a chamber divided into coiurentricsections, a vaporizing conduit comprising as many portions as there aresections which are connect ed end to end and are arranged one over eachsection. the inlet-end of the conduit. being so located that fuel isconveyed over one section after another beginning with the outersection. and means for successively cutting the chamber sections intoservice in an order beginning with the inner section and ending with theouter.

4. In combination. a burner of the chamber type. partitions within thechamber which separate the same into independent sections of which oneis adapted to be in continuous operation and the. others to besuccessively cut into service. air carrying tubes in each section. avaporizer so arranged relatively to the. sections that fuel tlowssuccessively over the sections beginning at the section adapted to belast cut into service and ending at the section in (.(mtlIltlOllsservice. nozzles for discharging vapor from the vaporizer to thesections. and means controlling the sections other than the one incontinuous service.

5. The combination of a burner which is provided with a chamber dividedinto sections and with fuel openings for each of the sections. avaporizing tube having its whole length coiled substantially along themedian lines of all the sections in successive order. a device whichcontrols the number of sections used during varying conditions ofoperation and thus correspondingly varies the capacity of the vaporizingtube. and means independent of said device for supplying fuel to onesection continuously during operation of the burner.

(3. In combination. a burner of the chamber type divideu into severalsections which are provided with unequal numbers of vapor-dischargingopenings. :1 vaporizing conduit formed of several portions of ditl'erentlengths and arranged with the longest portion over the burner sectionhaving the. greatest number of openings and the shortest portion overthe section having the smallest number of openings and the intermediateportion or portions over the section or sections having an intermediatenumber or numbers of openin the fuel entering the longest portion anflowing thence through the intermediate portions to the shortestportion, and means for successively supplying vapor from the shortestportion to the sections beginning with the section having the smallestnumber of openings and ending with the section having the greatestnumber of openings.

7. In combination, a burner havin r a chamber divided into concentricsections which vary one from another as to capacity, vaporizing conduitswhich also vary in capacity one from another and are connected to form asingle vaporizer extending successively over the sections andsubstantially along the median lines thereof, and means for supplyingvapor from the vaporizer to the chamber sections successively.

8. In a burner, the combination of a topplate containing fuel openin sarranged in polygonal rows. a bottom-p ate, air-carrying tubes arrangedin rows correspomling to the openings and secured to both lates, aninclosing outer wall secured to t to plates. polygonal partitionsarranged to divide the space between the plates into se )aratecoinpartments and extending paralle l to and be tween the rows ofopenings and tubes, and means for securing the partitions in place.

t). In a burner. the. combination of top and bottom-plates flanged attheir peripheries. a metal strip cooperating with the plates to form achamber and having its edges turned over the flanged portions of the topand hottom-plates. air-carnyiin tubes having their ends extendingthrougi the plates and exmuded. partitions dividing the said chama-rinto substantially concentric sections. and rivets arranged alternatelon op )osite sides of the )artitions in staggered re ation and having tieir ends riveted In the top and lmttoin-platcs.

It). In a burner. the combination of top and bottom plates, a wall ,forinclosing the plates at the ends. partitions for dividing the space.between the. plates into center. outer and intcrnnaliate compartments.an injection tube. which delivers vapor to the center section orcompartment, a holder for the tube which extends through the outer andintermediate compartments. a second injection tube which opens into theinternnaliat-e comparlment. and a third injection tube which opens intothe outer connmrtment.

1].,ln a burner which is arranged in concentric. sections. thecombination of a tube for conveying fuel to a central section. tubes forconveying fuel to the other sections, a vertically extending wall orpartition, and holders for the last. mentioned tubes which are. securedto the partition.

12. In a burner, the combination of top and bottom plates that form agas chamber, an injection tube, and a sheet-metal holder for said tubecomprising a tube having a cylindrical portion which makes a working fitwith the injection tube, and .a second ortion which is )rovided with aflat wal by means of which the holder is secured to the burner casing,the flattened portion of the tube being arranged to engage with theplates and assist in forming t 1e gas chamber.

1.3. In combination. a burner composed of a central section and twosurrounding sections which have open adjacent ends, it nor.- zle tubeextending through the surrounding sections into the central section, anozzle tube extending into the open end of each of the surroundingsections. a nozzle for each tube.

a common source of fuel supply connected with the nozzles, and a singlemeans for opening and closing only the nozzles which discharge intotlle'surrounding sections.

14. In combination. a burner which is divided into a )lurality ofsections located one. within the other. a single nozzle for eachsection. an automatic regulator controlling the nozzles for successivelycuttiin the sections into and out of service, tllit a vaporizer which isso located with respect to t to. sections that as they are successiveland automatically cut into and out of action the effect. 0 the vaporizeris corrcspondiugly varied.

1:). In combimitioma burner of the chamber ty )e comprising a centralsection and a plurality of surroumling sections which have juxtaposed o)en ends. nozzle tubes for the sections which are radially dis )osedabout a point central to the open emls of the surrounding sections. nozzes extending into the tubes one of which is permanently open to a sourceof fuel supply, and a single means for opening and closing the othernozzles sln-cessivel 16. In combination. a burner which is divided intoa plurality of concentric sections. a vaporizer tube which follows thecontour of the outer sect ion, then turns in the o )posite direction andfollows the contour of the inner sections. and a nozzle for feeding fuelto a burner section which nozzle is 0011- nected to that end of thevaporizer tube located in proximity to the inner burner section.

17. In eombinatioina. sectional lmrner with a va )orizer tube locatedabove the burner 0 whiei follows the general shape of an outer section.then turns back and follows the general shape of an intermediatesection. after which itturns and crosses an inner section whereby thetotal effect of the. vaporizer is modified in accordance with the numberof active burner sections.

18. In a burner, the taunbination of means for dividing it into a)lurality of sections. each section having a plurality of fuel openings,a single nozzle for each section, a regulator that acts to successivelycut the nozzles into and out of service, and a vaporizer comprising asingle fiat coil which occupies aiorizontal plane above the fuelopenings in all of the sections and closely conforms to the outline ofsaid sections, so that when one or more sections are cut into or out. ofservice, the effect of the vaporizer is correspondingly varied andsubstantially in accordance with the demand for vapor.

19. In a burner, the combination of a pair of plates which are separatedto form a gas chamber, air-carrying tubes which pass through the plates,means for dividing the chamber into sections, means for successivelyadmitting fuel to or cutting it off from the sections, a easing intowhich the chamber closely tits, and a shield for preventing the. airfrom directly passing to the tubes, comprising a portion which extendsacross the burner and side portions which extend at an angle theretoaround the lower end of the casing and which are separated from thecasing by an air space.

20. In combination, a burner comprising a chamber having a number ofindependent. concentric SPCllOIlS, means for controlling the supply ofvapor to the burner sections, and a vaporizing conduit. for supplyingvapor to all of the burner sections which extend over a plurality of thesections in series so that as they are brought into and outof action bythe controlling means, the action of the vaporizer is correspondinglyvaried.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day ofJanuary, 1902.

AUGUSTIS A. BALL. Ju.

Witnesses DUGALD MoK. l\'lol{1m.or, JOHN J. l/VALKER.

